2017 Gandhara Research Society, Pakistan Hashim Khan, Ph.D Scholar, Abbottabad University of Science and Technology, Abbottabad, (Pakistan). Gandhara Journal of Research in Social Science ISSN: 2415-2404 Volume 2, No. 2, Summer 2017 Working Relationship of Ruling and Opposition Political Parties in Pakistan (1947-58): A Critical Analysis Parliamentary Political System is based on political parties. Parties function in two ways; ruling and opposition parties. Growth and development of political system is inter-linked to the working relationship of these parties. This study basically addresses the working relationship between ruling PML and opposition parties. Till 1954, Pakistan Muslim League was the sole ruling party in Pakistan while opposition emerged in the form of rightist, leftist and centrist parties. Due to inherited colonial pattern of politics and emerging problems (economic, strategic and regional) working relationship between PML and opposition parties was not in the favor of democratic institutions. In 1954, opposition parties were successful to change the one party dominance into multi-party culture. In this research study main objectives are to find out nature and role of opposition parties and to find out those factors which divided PML into small factions of opposition.
Working Relationship of Ruling and Opposition Political Parties in Pakistan (1947-58): A Critical Analysis Hashim Khan Introduction Democracy is a modern political system which is based on fair representation and provides liberties to society. It provides opportunities of participation and competition for people. Political parties have an important role in democratic process. They are considered as base for strong political system. Parties may be categorized in two ways; Incumbent parties and Opposition parties. 1 Political system does not depend only on power seeking parties but political institutions also progress by the positive role of opposition parties. It also has the electoral mandate of society, therefore it is the responsibility of opposition parties to support positive works of incumbent parties and condemn harmful policies. Democracy is unthinkable without strong party system which always based on sociological, historical and cultural conditions of society. 2 Where there are strong bonds of these factors, political system progress smoothly. Otherwise political system is changed into authoritarianism. Public interests change into personal interests which leads the country toward turmoil and destruction. Smooth functioning and the development of political process depends on the working relationship of ruling and opposition parties. Role of opposition may not be ignored because it is the integral part of political system. When it is neglected in the legislative process of parliament, it spread hatred against the government will and may create problems for ruling parties. Plural societies flourish on ethnic, religious and cultural bases. Their conflicts may exist in any form and condition. Only strong and constitutional opposition may absorb these 1 Robert A Dahl, Political Opposition in Western Democracies (New Haven: Yale University press, 1966), xvi. 2 KausarParveen, The Politics of Pakistan: Role of the Opposition 1947-1958 (London: Oxford University Press, 2013), 10. 53
multicultural issues. If opposition is not recognized and given significance for the outlet of these issues, then plural ideologies may confront the society and spoil the political system of country. 3 In developing democracies which are mostly structured on multicultural, multiethnic and multi religious identities; functioning of parliamentary system is different than the democratic world. In these countries, due to the diversity of opposition and ruling parties, stability and continuity of democratic system is often at stake. Political parties often divide on ethnic pattern rather than unite on national issues. Both ruling and opposition forces practice intolerant and suppressing attempts against each other. Pakistan Muslim League and Nature of Politics In 1947, Pakistan Muslim Leagueas an organized party was successful to get a separate homeland. Now its responsibility was changed from opposition to ruling party and had to lead the country. In the last seven years struggle for Pakistan; different segments of Muslim community joined it for a single cause. Though it was a heterogeneous community, having different regions, languages and races but on the slogan of Islam they joined the platform of ML. After independence, the tone of ML found authoritarian because most of politicians belonged to West Pakistan which were not trained in democratic environment. ML adopted inherited political structure and forced other parties to join and obey its policies. 4 In any democratic system, opposition is a natural and important component of parliament which helps to balance the political environment. However due to authoritarian approach of ML, political process was deteriorated. Muslim League did not allow opposition to criticize its policies and considered it the enmity of party. Liaqat Ali Khan, who was the Prime Minister of Pakistan, claimed that ML was the sole party in Pakistan. The creation of Pakistan was possible due to the sacrifices and struggle of ML. Opposition or opposition parties to ML was like opposition to Pakistan. 5 3 Robert A. Dhal, Regimes and Opposition (New Haven: Yale University press, 1973), 90-94 4 keithcalllard, Pakistan :A political study, (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1957), 37-38. 5 ibid. 54
In the same speech, he became furious to opposition parties and said; till I am alive I will not allow any traitor to function in Pakistan. 6 On October 1950, Liaqat Ali Khan addressed that the creation of mushrooms in Pakistan will harm Pakistan and they are creating hurdles in the development of Pakistan. 7 At the beginning, ML tried to form an administrative state and implement one party system in Pakistan. The speeches of Liaqat Ali Khan show that he was not willing to allow other parties except ML. In the administration of country, they preferred bureaucrats rather than elected people; In East Pakistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (former NWFP) ICS officials were appointed as governors and made cordial relations with them. 8 But in future this cordial bond of civil-military dominance became costly for political system. Due to lack of political maturity and plural nature of society, opposition groups emerged against Muslim League. These opposition groups emerged with the slogans of regions, languages and castes. ML failed to give space to these opposition groups which then reverted to regional and linguistic sides. With the passage of time, a stronghold of orthodox opposition appeared in Politics. Due to lack of modern education and having long historical influence of conservative institutions, it took the favor of maximum people of society. 9 Besides authoritarian and centralized nature of ML, weak leadership was also responsible for the confrontation. When in 1947, Jinnah left the president-ship of PML and then from 1948 to 1950 under the president-ship of Khaliq-u-Zaman and Liaqat Ali Khan, ML was divided into many factions. 10 They were the dissident groups of PML and their main political motives revolved around the wishes of a single person or group. 6 ibid. 7 Hassan AskariRizvi, Military and Politics in Pakistan, 1947-97 (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publishers, 2000), 62-63. 8 ibid 9 ZarinaSalamat, Pakistan 1947-1958: An historical View (Islamabad: National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, 1992), 33. 10 Liaqat Ali Khan favored Daulatana in Punjab and Qayum Khan in KP (former NWFP). By this attitude Mamdut and PirManki Sharif left ML. Safdar Mahmud, Political Study of Pakistan, 2. 55
In most of post-colonial countries, it tried to practice one party system and bureaucracy was used as a tool to prolong the rule of that party. 11 But in Pakistan this attempt was not successful for a long time. Due to lack of competency, tolerance and education, ML failed to use bureaucracy for the political development of Pakistan. The involvement of Bureaucracy became a hurdle in the political growth of country. 12 In the beginning period, bureaucracy played a good role for the administrative purposes and got appreciation of people. By utilizing this reputation, it succeeded to control important positions of finance, defense and governorships in the country. 13 When political force was dispersed and formed different opposition groups, it used them for their own benefits. Due to lack of bright political leadership and weak political background, it divided politicians. Besides that ML used authoritarian policies for other political parties, its own organizational structure was weak and heterogeneous. With the passage of time clashes appeared in its functioning which leaded towards downfall. Till 1958, six presidents were changed but no one was successful to unite and organize it on stable bases. As most of the leadership belonged to feudal classes, so national interests were decentralized into personal interests and produced small factions of oppositions. 14 It is true that political process never remains stagnant for a long time and same was experienced with the authority of PML. Till 1950, it divided into splinter opposition groups which emerged in the form of Awami Muslim League (AML) in KPK, Jinnah ML in Punjab and Sind ML in Sind. These groups were the creation of personal interests or clashes of feudal who were present in ML. With the passage of time they strengthened themselves. In 1954, opposition alliances of United front (UF) from East Pakistan, SAM from Sind, WrorePakhtoon, KhudaiKhidmatgat, Azad Pakistan Party (APP), AML, APAML, APJAML were famous. Mostly, these alliances were formed by former Muslim Leaguer and regionalists. At last, during 11 ibid. 12 ibid. 13 Hassan AskariRizvi, Military and Politics in Pakistan, 1947-97 (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publishers, 2000), 62-63. 14 ibid., 106-108. 56
the 1954 s election campaign, due to strong propagation and attractive slogans, UF was successful to break up the hegemony of ML. 15 Before the partition of India, ML had to face opposition of religious parties like JUI, Ahrar and JI. 16 Both Pakistan Muslim League and masses of Pakistan were tolerant in religious feelings and liked to implement Islam in a peaceful way. But in 1953, after Ahmadi s issue, government did not take serious steps to the solution of issues andfailed to tackle this situation. It invited Army in Lahore to impose martial law. This serious mistake of politicians opened the ways for bureaucracy. 17 In political competition, opposition faced many difficulties because PML used thegovernmental resources and tried to suppress the will of opposition forces. It formulated strict and harsh laws and leadership of opposition parties was detained from political activities. Opposition parties were defamed and were marginalized from political activities.pml wanted to continue the hegemony of one-partydominance and was suppressing the emergingopposition forces. To conduct the election, it was using delaying tactics and postponingthe election dates. Even after the implementation of 1956 constitution, due elections were also postponed till February 1959. The Punjab Assembly was dissolved in 1949 butnew elections were not held till 1951. In the same way Sindh Assembly wasdissolved in December 1951 but PML postponed the new elections till May 1953. 18 Besides PML s weak organizational structure and demise ofitstopleadership, the financial constraints and strategic insecurity 19 further disturbed the politicalsystem. It created cracks in the functional structureofpml. To focus these two problems, PMLapplied centralized system of 15 Parveen,The Politics of Pakistan, 257-259. 16 Calllard, Pakistan:A political study, 86. 17 Parveen, The Politics of Pakistan, 390. 18 Parveen,The Politics of Pakistan,203. 19 IanTalbot, Pakistan: A New History (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2012), 48-49. 57
government. Rather promoting democratic norms in the country, it preferred the centralized systemand increased the influence ofbureaucrats in political institutions. 20 Opposition Parties and pattern of Politics Pakistan is a plural society and had different identities. So pattern of opposition was also influenced by these bonds.in the current study, opposition parties had two phases. In the first phase (1947-1954) it was the period of transition. Opposition parties experienced different pattern of politics. As PML was putting the pressure and was using strict policies against political leadership, as a result small factions of opposition as dissident groups ofpml emerged. Theyformed alliances against PML in provinces but due toheterogeneous ideologies, they were unsuccessful to change the power hegemony of PML. 21 First phase ofopposition was the period of protests and agitations. The religious parties protested for the Islamization,leftist had the view to remove economic disparities in country and centristparties talked about the autonomy of provinces. Though they mostly had genuine motives but could not challenge the hegemony of PML. However by their agitation, political awareness in society was improved. 22 In the second phase (1954-1958) it was the success of opposition parties. In East Pakistan opposition was mostly organized and penetrated inrural and urban areas. It had emotional strength of poor and middle classes. Though they had different ideologies but during election campaign in 1954, UF had asingle objective to defeat PML. In 1954 elections, hegemony of PML power was changed in EastPakistan.UF got 24 seats and defeated the PML which got only 10 seats 23. Onward 1954, it was a period of coalition governments. Now opposition parties got chances to form coalition governments. One party dominance was ended and four coalition governments were formed from 1954to 1958.During this phase opposition emphasized against 20 ibid. 21 Afzal, Political Parties in Pakistan,57 22 ibid. 23 ibid 58
the centralization policy. It also demanded for the autonomy of provinces and non-align foreign policy. Opposition often formed electoral alliances for election purposes. Most of time ideologies and interests of these alliances were not homogeneous. Therefore after the election, opposition parties were often disintegrated. Till 1954, due to weak organizational structure of opposition as compared to PML, theycouldnot win the elections completely. After partial victory, these opposition alliances dissociated and change their loyalties. Another common characteristic ofopposition parties was that it had not any stabilityin itspolicies. Opposition parties were constantly changing their interests in each alliance. There was no patronized politics. Most of parties were opportunist and performed for the interest of a single person or a small group. 24. Conclusion In any democratic system political parties either ruling or opposition are the sole representatives of society because each of them has the electoral mandate. After the formation of Pakistan, political leadership had the freedom to form its democratic structure according to the existing conditions of country. At the beginning Pakistani leadership had concentrated attention for democratic Pakistan but due to inherited pattern of politics and emerging problems, this first experience of democratization was not so successful for Pakistani society. With the passage of time distrust of society on the political leadership was enhanced. PML enjoyed a long period of political dominance from 1947to 1954 both in centre and provinces. It applied centralized system of government. It trusted on bureaucratic institutions and marginalized the political leadership. It did not allow the contradictory opinion inside and outside the party and harassed the politicians. As a result opposition groups inside and outside the PML emerged. These opposition parties were mostly based on the personnel, regional and ideological foundations. The most important aim of these opposition forces was to change the hegemony of PML. For seven years opposition parties experienced alliances and at last in 1954, they changed the dominance of PML. A multiparty systemwas introduced in Pakistan but the political environment was so polluted thatin last four years many governments were changed and at last martial law was imposed. 24 Afzal, Political Parties in Pakistan,57. 59
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